Antishimmy device



Patented Sept. `9, 19.30

lmartial) STATES PATENToi-Ficii LEROY w. snUTTs, or DETROIT, MICHIGAN,Assieivoa To GENERAL MOTORS Rn- 'sEARcii CORPORATION, or DETROIT,MICHIGAN, AOORPORATTON or '.DimeiwnmiV ANTisHiMiviyDRvIoE e Applicationled August 25, 1928. Serial No; 302,024.

This invention relatesto steering mechanisnis for motor vehicles andparticularly to Aa device for dampening front wheel wobble Y orsliiinmy, and is an improvement of the device disclosed in LettersPatent No. 1,712,940,

i v issued to C. R. Short.

the phase relation of the vibrating or wobble movements of the roadwheel and fly wheel.

This difference in pliaseor lag, permits the momentumof the vfly wheelto elfectually oppose movements of Athe road wheels when they tend toshiminy, and so serves to damp out and eliminate the tramp and wobblethat so quiclily tires out the driver and makes travel hazardous,particularlyat higher speeds.

The invention will be more clearly underrstood upon reference to theaccompanying drawing, wherein Fig. 1 is a view showing the front axleand steering mechanism with the present vibration resistingdeviceapplied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

liig. V3 is a top plan view of the front axle e assembly showing amodification.

Fig. 4 is a .section taken on line 4-4 Vof Fig. 3 and 5 is asideelevation of aportion of a" 'l I l mentof these two elements. T heflywheel,

chassis frame, showing a .further modification.

Referring by reference characters to the accompanying drawing, thenumeral 1 indicates a front axle having forked ends, in each of whichVis pivotally mountedupon a pin 2, a steering linucllehavng a spindleupon which is rotatably mounted the road wheel 4. Each knuckle isprovided with a rearwardly extending arm or lever 5, connected with eachother by a tie rod `6, and one of the knuckles is also provided with asteering arm 7 connected by a drag link 8 to suitable steering mechanismwhich includes a hand or steering wheel, not shown. Carried by the axle1 at a central point and extend-V ing either above or vbelow the aXledepending upon conditions of use, isa vertical shaft or stud 9,.v Theshaft in the present case is shown extending above the axle and hasmounted thereon for rotation a fly wheel or inertia weight 10, provided`with a pair of oppositely disposedA integral upstan'ding lugs 11. Alsomounted on the shaft`9 above the fly wheel is a member12 that has twopair of lateral projections ory lingers 13, veach Apair extending onopposite sides ofoneof vthe lugs 11. Between each fingerl and theadjacent lug is a coil springV 14, which'serves to yield- "inglytransmit relative movement fromone to the otherof the member 12 andtheffly wheellO. z Connected or formed integral with Vthe member 12 is agear pinion 12 that meshes' with the rack bar 15, whose end is pivotedto an arm or .lever 16 vcarried by one ofthe steering knuckles 3,1` Tohold the rack in meshfwitl'ifthefgearfpinion, a rollerml' is providedforV engagement with the back of fthe-rack, the ifoller'beingcarried ona pin '18 in ai bracket 19 thatfis securedfon the upper end of theshafft9... i i

The quick to and fro wobble movement of the wheels is transmittedthrough the rackV Y Vand 'gear 'to the member l'12 which acts through Ythe coil springs to ysetiii'motion the iiy wheel 10.` The elasticityofthe-springs provides a1 sortof lost `,motion connection which permits'`a relative fniovement of the Vfly wheel"` withV respect to the road.wheels, wherebythere results a lag` in the phase offvibratorymove- "offcourse, follows y the movement of the road l wheels .but vvbecause of`the" resiliency ofl springs "141, thefreveisal or changein thedirectionof wheel spiiidlemotion, is in direct vopposition to the direction offly wheel rot-a- 'tion at that instant, andthe ,force inthe Hy In themodiicationillustrated vin Fig. 3, a

airof lugs 20 are adjustably heldonthe tieV rodjt by means ofsetscrews21and form seats forapairv of 'springs 22that abut onlopp'osite :i

sidesofthe1i' ig23l forinedgonfthe rack bar24.

The ends of the rack bar are mounted for sliding movement in bearings 25carried by the axle l and its teeth engage with a gear pinion 26 keyedon the shaft 27 extending through the axle l and having keyed at itslower end the iiy wheel 28. The action of the yielding connection is thesame in this case as that previously described.

In Fig. 5 a steering arm 30 is provided with a hollow head 3l to oneside of which is pivotally connected the drag link 32 and through whichextends one end of a rod 33.' 0n opposite sides of the head 3l arepositioned coil springs 34 held on the rod by nuts 35 and at theopposite end of the rod is formeel a rack bar 36 that meshes with apinion 37 mounted on a shaft 38 upon which is also mounted the fly wheel39 connected to the pinion 37 for rotation therewith. A guide 40 iscarried by the shaft 38 to hold the rack in position ior engagement withthe pinion. It will be understood that the drag link 32 is connected atits forward end to the conventional steering arm carried by front wheelknuckle and that upon wheel shimmy the movement will be transmitted tothe ily Wheel 39 through the springs 34, which permit the lag inrelative movements that serves so effectively in restricting andminimizing wheel wobble.

Various modifications of the structure will be obvious to those skilledin the art.

I claim:

l. In a motor vehicle, the combination with a dead axle and a pair ofspindles pivotally mounted on opposite ends of the axle and carryingroad wheels, otmeans to dissipate the energy generated by sudden forcesoriginating in the pivoted spindles, including a ilywheel monted forfree rotation on the axle and having a pair of spaced abutment membersthereon, an H-shaped member also rotatably mounted on the axle and insuperposed relation with the flywheel, with the` one pair of legs onoppositesides of one abutment member and the other pair on oppositesides of the. other abutment member, a rigid inotion-transmittingconnection to-oscillate said H-shaped member upon movement of thespindles, and elastic elements interposed bel tween opposite sides ofeach abutment meinber and the adjacent legs oi the H-shaped member toimpart rotation of the H-shaped member to the iiywheel with a lagwhereby an out-o-phase relationship is set up.

In a motor vehicle, the combination with a dead axle and a. pair ofspindles pivotally mounted on opposite ends of the axle and carryingroad wheels, of means to dissipate the energy generated by sudden forcesoriginating in the pivoted spindles comprising a freely rotatableiywheel, an independently rotatable member superposed upon the flywheeland connected for oscillation .with the spindies, and an elastic motionVtrasmitting element for imparting the oscillations of said member to theflywheel whereby the rotation of the iiywheel momentarily lags as itsenergy builds up to oppose and damp the reactionary forces.

3. The vibration dampener for devices subject to vibration including afreely rotatable ywheel having a pair ot spaced abutment membersthereon, a rotatable H-shaped member in superposed relation with theflywheel, with the one pair of legs on opposite sides of one abutmentmember and the other pair on opposite sides of thc other abutmentmember, a rigid motion transmitting connection to oscillate saidH-shaped member upon movement of a Vibrating device, and elasticelcments interposed between opposite sides of each abutment member andadjacent legs oi the H-shaped member to impart rotation of the H-shapedmember to the fiywhecl with a lag whereby an out-oif-pliase relationshipis set up. f

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

LEROY WV. SHUTTS.

